I hold the iron in my hand and the soft, damp smell of India surrounded me like a cloud. For two hours, I have meticulously folded and ironed electric blue silk, shimmering red fans, and tangerine cotton. The hands on my computer clock don't seem to move, and flute and sitar music from Pandora radio spindle from my speakers.

As I have sat in my chair for two hours now ironing my dance costumes, I've been pondering what it takes to become really, really good at something. I mean, life and soul. When Hariprasad Chaurasia - the virtuoso flute player - came on the radio, I felt awed by perfection. His whole life and soul is to play the flute. That's it. He has practiced, studied, practiced, performed, practiced, taught, practiced, lost his ability to blow his breath into a flute, practiced, got Carpal's tunnel, practiced, and everything again a thousand times over... just flute, flute, flute. And after he has played the flute for more waking hours than sleeping hours in his life, he plays the flute some more.

And that is why I feel awed by Chaurasia's perfection. Because he never, ever stops playing.

I wondered how it would feel to dance and dance my whole life as a service to Krishna. To attend so many practices that when I walk I begin to dance; to iron costumes countless midnights; to tie on my dance jewelry for countless performances...

But of course, I know that at some point the body gives out, and dance is the prerogative of youth.

So in my meditation I went a little deeper. What would it take to reach perfection in... chanting? Devotion for Krishna? Service?

Maybe perfection is to chant so many names of the Lord that they just circle around and around in my mind like the moon. Or maybe perfection is to feel so humbled by the tragedies of life that I fall at the feet of strangers. Or maybe perfection is to drink in scripture like cool water on a hot day.

All day. Every day. Never, ever stop. And death is not the conclusion of devotion, but the beginning.

Beginning of what?

I don't know. If I keep chanting, if I never, ever stop, maybe I'll find out.

Regarding propaganda against animal slaughter in BTG. Please do not print any picture showing how a cow is being murdered in our BTG. This will pollute the whole atmosphere. We are not meant for moving anyone's sentiment against animal slaughter, we are neither Buddhists or Jains, whose main propaganda is against animal slaughter. Even the so-called vegetarians who do not take Krishna prasadam are as much sinful as the non-vegetarians. Our propaganda is different, to make people Krishna Conscious, which automatically makes them sympathetic against any kind of animal slaughter. According to Srimad-Bhagavatam, one living entity subsists on the life of other living entities, either vegetarian or non-vegetarian. But we are neither of them. We are not vegetarian nor non-vegetarian. We are transcendental. We are concerned with Krishna Prasadam. Try to popularize Krishna Prasadam as you have already done. People will naturally become vegetarian without any ghastly propaganda. The pictures of a mahajana or similar pictures for propagating the Bhagavata conclusion should be our objective. Other pictures, there are so many subject matters, just like we follow 4 principles, say for example, illicit sex life, we can publish so many pictures of illicit sex life, but that will not advance our cause. Similarly we may make propaganda against animal slaughter, but that will not advance our real cause. KC is based on pure understanding, not by any sentimental provocation. People must be intelligent enough to catch up this KC movement without being carried away by any sentimental wave. We should always remember that we do not belong to any group like the karmis, jnanis, or yogis. We belong to pure devotional service group, following the footprints of great mahajanas. Our purpose should be that we are in one side and all others they are on the other side. We deprecate everyone, even one who is against animal slaughter. In the Caitanya-caritamrta, it is clearly said that there are two classes of activities. Pious and impious. We do not favor any one of them. Neither we favor any philosophical speculation, we simply stick to Krishna, and wish to render loving transcendental service unto Him. That should be our main objective, and the policy of BTG must be pursued on this line of action. I hope you will understand me rightly. Everyone who is not a KC person is a butcher. Even the so-called pious man, who is not in KC, he is also a butcher. Because he is killing his own self. So in our view, everyone is butcher, and everyone is thief also, because he is enjoying Krishna's property. So how we can discriminate who is honest and dishonest and butcher and not butcher? Our only test is how one is taking to KC: Even a so-called butcher comes we welcome to chant Hare Krishna.

We were invited to the Kumbha Abhisekam ceremony in a Vishnu Temple in Tamil Nadu, South India. After smarta brahmanas had recited various suktas and performed some yajnas, we were invited on the stage to perform kirtan and speak from the Bhagavad-gita. I spoke about fifteen minutes and introduced the "Bhagavad-gita As It Is" and Back to Godhead magazine in Tamil.

We were well into a second kirtan when all of a sudden people became a little excited and began looking behind us. We turned around and saw a Mayavadi sannyasi with an eka-danda walking up on the stage. He gestured with approval toward our kirtan party, so all the people begin to again enthusiastically chant Hare Krishna with us. I didn't want to stop chanting, for I knew that as soon we stopped they would ask him to speak. But eventually we had to stop. I offered him pranams with folded hands, and the host immediately announced that we were very fortunate that His Holiness Sahajananda Swami from the Kancheepuram Sankaracarya Matha was with us and that he would enlighten us with a half-hour spiritual message. (All of us thought, "O, no!! Now some Mayavada rubbish will come out.")

Surprisingly, instead of speaking the Swami started gesturing with his hand, and someone figured out that he was performing Caturmasya Mauna Vrata (no speaking for four months). The host requested us to speak instead of the Swami. Our Madhavananda Prabhu enthusiastically took up the mike and started glorifying the supremacy of Lord Krishna and the greatness of the Vaishnava acharyas, all the while quoting various slokas. Then we all took Bhagavad-gitas and BTGs and announced the day's special offer. Finally we rushed into the crowd for distribution while the brahmanas continued with their Vastu Homam.

The Mayavadi Swami just continued sitting silently like a statue while the devotees blissfully ran around for two hours, distributing Srila Prabhupada's books. Most of the people took at least one copy of BTG, and some took Gitas and SSRs. Swamiji will surely receive a lot of bhakti-sukriti for his silent evening! :)

This is one of the principal teachings of the holy name, namely that the holy name is the same as Krishna Himself. It is not just a combination of letters or a sterile practice. The holy name is Krishna Himself, as good as His form in Goloka Vrndavana.

It's just before sunrise at home base. Out on the patio there's quite a breeze, and an intense floral aroma. Trachelospermum jasminoides , or Star Jasmine, is native to China. It's an evergreen, woody vine that bursts into bloom all over Sydney this time of year.

The fragrance of this generous vine is heavenly and intoxicating, especially in the early mornings and evenings. It grows on a trellis against the garage wall here at my father's house.

I'll pick some and fill a small vase beside my small statuette of Baby Krishna.

3:41 A.M.

Excerpts from Sri Harinama Cintamani by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura:

1. “The Spiritual Identity of the Holy Name:

“Lord Krishna and His holy name are identical; they are one and the same Absolute Truth, the all-inclusive yet supremely independent form of dynamic spirituality, full of emotion, without beginning or end. Always situated in pure goodness, the holy name descends to this world in the shape of letters as the complete incarnation and embodiment of the highest sweetness: rasa.”

This is one of the principal teachings of the holy name, namely that the holy name is the same as Krishna Himself. It is not just a combination of letters or a sterile practice. The holy name is Krishna Himself, as good as His form in Goloka Vrndavana.

2.“The holy name is all-attractive:

“Lord Krishna is the non-dual Absolute Object who perfectly manifests Himself in these four features. These features are fully potent and able to express Him in totality; they exist and are sustained by the Lord’s sandhini (eternal existence potency). They are eternal and transcendental. As Lord Krishna attracts all living entities, similarly the holy name, which is nondifferent from Him, also attracts everyone.”

Of course, some people are not attracted to the holy name. They are unfortunate. But in the pure state all beings are attracted to the holy name. The holy name is not different than Krishna, so as Krishna means all-attractive, so his holy names are also all-attractive. This is realized when one chants offenselessly.

This morning I am having difficulty again. I did not set my alarm clock. I did not wake until 2:25 A.M., so I have only chanted eight rounds. But while chanting I developed a pain in my right eye, being 2 on a scale of 5. I took some medicine for it but not migraine medicine. It is still persisting. I may have to take migraine medicine.

We have finished using Namamrta, and we are
using excerpts from Harinama Cintamani where Haridasa Thakura speaks
to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu
through the words of Bhaktivinode Thakura.
Today I noted the Name and
Krishna are identical, and the
Name, like Krishna,
is all-attractive.
All this I am
writing with a pain in my
eye. Narayana said I should
not sacrifice my life to
do the writing. But I see
no other alternative.

“Last night was euphoric. I couldn’t stop looking at photos of Prabhupada until it was bedtime. Then in the dark I saw them still, and me with him as a younger man. Finally I fell asleep and didn’t wake up until hours later. I remembered it again and reached for them. One album is labeled “Brag Book—for keeping photos of your children, your wife, the house, the fish you caught . . .” I brag to have such a spiritual master. Here’s a picture of him sitting outside a sleek Citroen in France, eating his lunch, and that’s me in the background, I was his servant.

“Here’s a picture of him entering the old L.A. temple. He’s wearing dark peach-colored socks and a rust-colored sweater. That’s me behind him with the same colored socks. I could go on like this looking at the old prints, wondering what happened to so-and-so. But I have more serious things to do, like getting ready for breakfast, and I have assigned myself to write some lines on him each day. Okay, but don’t put down photo-watching. I’m living in the world, and I look at the pictures. Prabhupada is with us.

Brag Book: There I am, taking sannyasa. See the pretty girls when they were 21 years old. That’s Prabhupada on the vyasasana with the microphone. Who is that waving the peacock fan? Karandhara looks so real. Oh, I know her. There I am again, right in with the big guys. Seeing the photos reminds me there was a lot going on besides our single-minded dedication to guru. And yet you can’t deny the looks of spontaneous adoration: Sudama Maharaja leaning forward to see Prabhupada’s expression as Karandhara shows him the wool swami hats they sell to devotees, and a young mother with her infant held up (she’s really happy to see Prabhupada). The whole L.A. devotee community has turned out to be with him as he takes a tour of their buildings. And after all, they are living that way—dress, customs and religion—just because he said to do it. As Professor Rochford said, “It is nothing short of miraculous that one man could inspire so many people throughout the world to become God conscious.”

We were invited to the Kumbha Abhisekam ceremony in a Vishnu Temple in Tamil Nadu, South India. After smarta brahmanas had recited various suktas and performed some yajnas, we were invited on the stage to perform kirtan and speak from the Bhagavad-gita. I spoke about fifteen minutes and introduced the "Bhagavad-gita As It Is" and Back to Godhead magazine in Tamil.

We were well into a second kirtan when all of a sudden people became a little excited and began looking behind us. We turned around and saw a Mayavadi sannyasi with an eka-danda walking up on the stage. He gestured with approval toward our kirtan party, so all the people begin to again enthusiastically chant Hare Krishna with us. I didn't want to stop chanting, for I knew that as soon we stopped they would ask him to speak. But eventually we had to stop. I offered him pranams with folded hands, and the host immediately announced that we were very fortunate that His Holiness Sahajananda Swami from the Kancheepuram Sankaracarya Matha was with us and that he would enlighten us with a half-hour spiritual message. (All of us thought, "O, no!! Now some Mayavada rubbish will come out.")

Surprisingly, instead of speaking the Swami started gesturing with his hand, and someone figured out that he was performing Caturmasya Mauna Vrata (no speaking for four months). The host requested us to speak instead of the Swami. Our Madhavananda Prabhu enthusiastically took up the mike and started glorifying the supremacy of Lord Krishna and the greatness of the Vaishnava acharyas, all the while quoting various slokas. Then we all took Bhagavad-gitas and BTGs and announced the day's special offer. Finally we rushed into the crowd for distribution while the brahmanas continued with their Vastu Homam.

The Mayavadi Swami just continued sitting silently like a statue while the devotees blissfully ran around for two hours, distributing Srila Prabhupada's books. Most of the people took at least one copy of BTG, and some took Gitas and SSRs. Swamiji will surely receive a lot of bhakti-sukriti for his silent evening! :)

Krishna, Krishna, You are the
topmost. I cannot praise
You enough. My mouth is
too small, and this morning
I feel nausea from drinking
a cup of “Smooth Move”
for constipation. Right now it is
a threatening moment.

But You are above it.
I read about You in the
books and paraphrase
the lilas and the philosophy.
It is the only way I
know to do it or quote
directly from Srimad-
Bhagavatam and claim
I wrote it myself.

You ate the butter and
yogurt, so much, but
You didn’t get nausea.
You have enough fire
You can eat the whole world and sometimes
You do as Sankarsana.

One can praise You if he’s
capable. I have only a
little hunger to do it.
But I charge down the field with my
crippled ankle and say,
“Jaya Sri Krishna!”

I’ve heard how Lord
Caitanya stayed three months
at Raghava Pandita’s house
and the whole time He was
in internal consciousness.
That is, He was dancing
and roaring and singing,
and whoever He glanced
at became liberated.

He displayed all the
symptoms of bodily ecstasy.
I can barely keep my
nausea down and can’t
evince any symptoms of
hairs on end and all
that. I am a small
person and can’t do much.

But I love You.
I love Krishna and Prabhupada.
I hear music, and it
makes me almost sick
because I am so on the
verge of not being able
to keep from vomiting.

Excuse me for
being so gross. It’s just my
illness. I wanted to
write a poem in any
condition. I have an
authentic desire to speak
well of You. You should
never be blasphemed.

I want to write my poems
praising You in clean language
and good health. Right
now I’m ill, but I
still love You. You control
my body. The poor body
is a temple of illness.
That’s what we get when
we come to this material
world: dukalayam asasvatam.

Let me rise above it
and praise You.
I never should have
come here. But fortunately
I met my guru, and
he cheers me up even
when I am physically ill.

You are beautiful.
The great sages worship Your
lotus feet. Lord Siva
is enhanced by carrying
Your foot-wash on his
head.

Please help me. I will overcome my
illness and in
the meantime I
write to You honestly—
You are the Cause of all
causes and the charming
Cowherd Boy. I would
like to draw Your picture.
I want to chant Your
holy names. I want
to live with You and
I will do it—sick or not.

Free Write

“The blessed Lord Siva becomes all the more blessed by bearing on his head the holy waters of the Ganges, which has its source in the water that washed the Lord’s lotus feet. The Lord’s feet act like thunderbolts hurled to shatter the mountain of sin stored in the mind of the meditating devotee. One should therefore meditate on the lotus feet of the Lord for a long time.”

The impersonalists say God has no form, and you can meditate (imagine) any demigod and the result will be the same. But actually the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the master of everyone: ekale isvara kṛṣṇa, ara saba bhṛtya. Lord Siva is important because he is holding on his head the holy Ganges water, which has its origin in the foot-wash of Lord Visnu. Anyone who puts the Supreme Lord and the demigods on the same level at once becomes a paṣaṇdi, or atheist.

The mind of the conditioned soul contains heaps of dust in the form of desires to lord it over material nature. It is like a mountain of dirt. Meditating on the lotus feet of the Lord acts like a thunderbolt on the mountain of dirt in the mind of the yogi.

Manigriva and Nalakuvera were two degraded playboys, drunkards and womanizers. They were carousing naked with young women in the Nandana-karana lake when Narada Muni walked by. The women were not so intoxicated and they still had a sense of shame, so they covered themselves up, but the two intoxicated brothers had no awareness of Narada’s presence, and they remained uncovered before him. Narada thought that the men ought to be taught a lesson and given a curse. The men had to take the bodies of twin arjuna trees and stay like that for a hundred years. But there is a special blessing in a curse given by Narada. He arranged it that after one hundred years of the demigods Krishna would appear as a baby and would pull down the twin arjuna trees and behold the brothers. As restored devas, Manigriva and Nalakuvara chanted respectful and eloquent prayers to child Krishna. After making these humble and philosophical prayers, Krishna restored them to the higher planets where they would be sons of Kuvera, and that would be their last life in the material world, after which they would be liberated. They lived soberly and did not associate licentiously with women.

Did they have any fun after their reformation? Certainly. They took part in the uninterrupted festival of sankirtana in the mood of Lord Nityananda and His associates. They became intoxicated and in bliss without liquor or sexual attraction. Never again did they hanker for the lower pleasures, which are actually karmic-producing sins. Krishna enjoyed being mischievious in tearing down the two giant trees, and the vrajavasis were amazed and bewildered as to how it happened and Krishna was unharmed. Nanda Maharaja released Him from the ropes, and Krishna had a pastime with Mother Yasoda where He was angry with her for a while.

Retort

Those poems to Krishna always
to Krishna. My poet friend wrote a
blasphemy of Krishna. What shall I do
in return? Just ignore it or get into
a long explanation telling why violence
was justified at Kuruksetra, why Krishna
provoked Arjuna to fight? He wouldn’t
accept it, and you’ll push him further
into blasphemes. But shouldn’t
you be a defender of the faith?
Either argue, commit violence
or leave the place. If I speak my
mind, I may jeopardize
our friendship: “Your
blasphemy of Krishna deserves
a retort, but I don’t want to
jeopardize our friendship so I
will say nothing.”
Or “It
would take too long to explain
the context of the Mahabharata
and why Krishna recommended that
violence is justified, and I don’t
think you would accept it
anyway. So I’ll be quiet
and not jeopardize our friendship.”
At least he will know I was
disturbed and don’t agree.

An article was forwarded in my email but I had not read it until now. The article in ISKCON News written by one of our local ISKCON Toronto Sankirtan leaders. I was pleasantly surpised to see my daughter-in-law, Kishori in the picture (on the far right).

Krishna works in mysterious ways. About 10 years ago Kishori's university room mate brought back some books to the hostel (dorm) and the Prabhupada Lilamrta caught her attention. Soon she would start visiting the recently opened local temple with her room mate and then about a year later in a totally seperate turn of events she would meet my son and they would get married. She probably did not know what she was in for and how "Hare Krishna" her new family would be but 10 years later she is playing her small part and distributing Srila Prabhupada's books with the youngsters from ISKCON Toronto. It was heart warming to see this

I'd just like to mention, before you see the photos, that we never put up a photo of anyone, unless we are quite sure they are happy with it. A newcomer was concerned last month, when she saw photos being taken, but you can rest assured, we'll not include anyone who hasn't specifically been asked. That's why we don't usually post photos of the assembly of chanters. Gopal led us in kirtan, with sweet melodies and a variety of mantras, ending with a Govinda mantra. He explained that in Sanskrit, Govinda means one who enlivens and gives pleasure to the senses. I think we all found that to be true!

1965 November 19: "I am obliged to your good daughter for awarding me the degree SWAMI JESUS. I take this honour as sent by Lord Jesus through an innocent child. Lord Jesus preached the message of God and I have taken up the same mission, and it would be a good luck for me if I can follow the foot prints of Lord Jesus."Prabhupada Letters :: 1965

1968 November 19: "He printed 10,000 copies and he was to pay 15 cents per copy. He is very intriguing. When he comes before me, he presents himself as a great devotee. But he has not paid me a single cent. So this is the position. "Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1969 November 19: "I am very sorry to learn that our press is lying idle. You mention there is some lack of management but why should this be so since yourself and others are there. Immediately print the paperback TLC and after this reprint the first volume of Srimad Bhagavatam."Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

1973 November 19: "The picture of Radha-Paris Isvara is very nice and Radharani's attitude is very nice. She is giving her blessings to everyone. The picture of the arati is also a nice pose. Krishna is looking upon me and I am looking to Him. Kindly send me some copies."Prabhupada Letters :: 1973

1975 November 19: "Why are they doing business? We shall only do one business and that is book-selling. That's all. This business should not be encouraged any more. Doing business and not sankirtana, this is not at all good."Prabhupada Letters :: 1975

1975 November 19: "It is very impressive. It looks like a secretariat building. Even big, big businessmen, they haven't got such branches all over the world as we have got. And our business is with honor. Why not purchase this building?"Prabhupada Letters :: 1975

1975 November 19: "Regarding the one million copies of Back to Godhead printed. Thank you, this is solid work. Regarding the new printing of the abridged Gita, why there should be mistakes? Mistakes makes the book useless. You must be very, very careful."Prabhupada Letters :: 1975

1975 November 19: "In the university when I spoke, all the audience clapped and purchased my books very enthusiastically. Anyone who is not biased will like our books. Yes, I am doing Srimad-Bhagavatam, trying to finish. I am trying my best."Prabhupada Letters :: 1975

The archive of audio, video, and teachings of Bhakti Tirtha Swami has been launched at www.btswami.com. So far it has almost 650 audio and video recordings available and there will be more added in the future.

Latest issue, issue 6, of the 16 Rounds To Samadhi newspaper is printed! 30,000 copies are about to hit the streets of San Diego. Additional 5,000 are going to Los Angeles and several more thousands are going to a few other places in the States

Over the past few years I have seen that some devotees within our society have an issue with the use of Radha Kunda tilak as opposed to Gopi Chandhan. These individuals carelessly criticize the devotees who use Radha Kunda tilak and unfortunately categorize them in the “DEVIATION” group

ISKCON has found an unlikely ally in the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom. The American watchdog has severely criticised curtailment of freedom of religious groups like Hare Krishna in Europe and Eurasia.

At the recent Diwali function at held at Number 10 Downing Street in London, Srutidharma Das the President of Bhaktivedanta Manor presented a copy of Bhagavad Gita As It Is to the British Prime Minister David Cameron.

It’s always interesting to see how devotees use the term “time place and circumstances”, there seems an unlimited amount of circumstances that this applies too. I’m wondering at what point the use of the term is legitimate and at what point it becomes an excuse for just being lax in our application to devotional service. [...]

Wow…I’ve really confused some people with my last post. Patting myself on back for being totally unclear! In addition to the comment left by my South African friend Tulasi, I also received a couple of emails asking the same thing….ooops! Here’s Tulasi’s comment from last nite:

I was just wondering how you get from the rolled out stick of butter to the flaky dough? How do you combine it with the flour and water mixture?

Ummm yeah. Would be good if I explained that. Here’s what I did for two large pie crusts with enough dough left over for a third. Yup, it’s in my freezer.

Laminated Pie Crust Recipe

6 cups flour (I used white spelt because that is what I have on hand but choose your own)

2 pinches of salt

water (did not measure….sorry)

*Combine these ingredients to form a smooth dough. Cover and let rest while you do the following with the butter.

*Take one stick of butter softened at room temp and roll out between 2 sheets of parchment paper. Very thin, but not translucent. Place on a mobile flat surface, like a cutting board or cookie sheet and stick in fridge for about a half hour (that’s an honest guess) or until hard.

*Roll out dough on top of a sheet of parchment paper. Dough should be at least 1-1/2 times as large as rolled out butter. Peel one sheet of parchment off butter. Flip onto dough, centered.. Remove second sheet of parchment.

At first I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go to the trouble of trying to bring a guitar to India. I didn’t want to carry another piece of baggage, especially since all I could imagine when envisioning our trip were swarms of scruffy, red toothed, wild-eyed coolies with dirty plaid rags wrapped around their heads demanding to carry every ounce of our luggage, perhaps even us. My dreams were filled with scenarios of being carried aloft by such coolie swarms, with the end result that I either wound up getting cheated out of money or baggage or my very life.

It wasn’t until the last week before we left Florida that I considered that, since I do write songs, and I am in the active process of writing at the moment, and guitar has become such an integral part of my life, that I ought to look into my options for how to stow some kind of guitar onboard a plane without breaking my bank (baggage fees have gone mad) or breaking the guitar itself (the freezing temperatures in cargo holds have ruined many a fine instrument in the air).

My dear friend and inspiration in guitar and amp building suggested he could throw together just the kind of portable guitar that would be suitable for the rigors of air travel to the Indian subcontinent. From parts he had lying around his well-stocked workshop, he created the Bharata Varsha Super Stratosphere Jet Force Special (picture soon to be included). Another dear friend and fellow musician, Purusartha dasa, lent me his headphone amp, so I’d be able to groove along in the ashram without disturbing the ether.

I packed the above guitar in socks, sweatshirts, and wool chadars after I unbolted the neck. The disassembled monster fit neatly into one of our large suitcases. Yay.

Today’s the day I finally unpacked and reassembled the machine for actual use. The temple president in Vrindavan, Panchagauda dasa, is a longtime friend from Alachua with whom I spent many hours chanting hare Krishna on the campus of the university of florida. When I arrived, he invited me to sit in with him and some other devotees for a couple of events he had planned in Vrindavan and Delhi—kirtan programs he thought might could use a little guitar. Not wanting to foolishly blow such a Holy Land Service Opportunity, I said OK.

So this afternoon, after re-assembly, tuning and re-tuning the strings, and packing my backpack for a walk to our place of rehearsal ( to which I had only sketchy directions) set out with the guitar over my shoulder, without a case, lightly wrapped in wool.

I both liked and disliked how conspicuous I felt, carrying an electric guitar around the back alleys of this highly populated holy village, where gaping, pointing, and shouting crowd scenes can explode into existence with slight provocation) but considering all the various babas with begging pots and walking sticks and beards, as well as all the cows, pigs, dogs, monkeys, two- and three-wheeled bicycles and motor rickshas incessantly quacking and beeping around every corner, I figured one skinny white guy in a dhoti with a blue gamcha draped over his head carrying a funky-looking Frankenstein Monster of an electric guitar wouldn’t be able to stop traffic.

After asking around to find directions to our rehearsal spot, I finally found someone who knew how to get there. “turn right on Bhaktivedanta Swami Marg, left on the Parikrama Path, and go straight for five or ten minutes until you get to a Durga Mandir in the middle of the road. Right after that, turn left and look for the biggest house in the area. Krishna has a plan. You’ll find it somehow.”

Sure enough, in no time (considering the Parikrama Marg is jammed with pilgrims, Ladies With Big Things On Their Heads, motor scoooters, cows, kids, and now huge tractors with shovels for reconstructing the road) I found the Durga Mandir and looked for the left turn. I found a path going down an unmarked alley that looked promising. Sure enough, I got to the end and found the Big House. It was surrounded by walls and gates, and at the gate was a Big Cow, trying to get in. I wasn’t even certain I was at the right place, but I figured I’d just open the gate and find out, a maneuver which turned into a dance I’ve never done before, called “Open Huge Iron Doors With One Hand While Twisting Upper Body To Avoid Destroying Guitar While Pushing Cow Out With Other Hand.”

The owner of the place told me I was right on time, and we’d have to go to another place, and I should now get on the back of his scooter. Completely suspending my usual absolute refusal to ride on motorcycles of any kind, I figured it was part of Krishna’s plan for the day. I got on the back, sidesaddle, with both flip-flopped feet pressing hard on a side shelf so my sandals wouldn’t fall off. With one hand I grabbed the opposite side of my seat for dear life, and with my other hand I held the guitar neck upright to avoid clotheslining unwary pilgrims as we scooted by.

The back alleys we drove on were medium-dangerously passable on foot, but on a two wheeled motor vehicle, with no helmet, holding on with one hand only, barely able to keep my shoes on, driving over the most blasted, muddy, broken dirt roads in between bullock carts, old ladies, milk rickshas, and avoiding open sewage ditches for me was an exercise in Going Beyond What I Thought Was Insanely Dangerous. But apparently this is just business as usual for Brijbasis on Scooters.

We bounced and tooted, swerved and zoomed, and somehow no one was left hopelessly maimed as a result. When we arrived at our destination, about twelve blocks and twelve years off my life later, I smilingly hobbled off the back of the scooter, covered in sweat, white as a sheet. Smiling because I was riding around on a motorcycle slinging an electric guitar on the Vrindavan Parikrama Marg.

I’ve been out of commission for the past few days—with Obligatory Vrindavan Sickness (or OVS). This occurrence of OVS was a non-stop joyride from “Sore Throat and Stuffed Nose” to “Sore Throat and Very Very Stuffed Nose with Loss of Energy and Joie de Vivre” culminating in “Completely Blocked Nose, Fever, Hallucinations, Absolute Zero Energy and Ardent Desire to Leave The Country.” Meanwhile life went on around me, thousands of laughing, snacking pilgrims pouring into the Krishna Balarama Mandir amid the smoke, dust, and tooting taxis of Shri Vrindavan Dham, the holiest place in India. All I could do was look at them, slack-jawed from stuffiness, wanting only to curl up on the nearest available dusty marble surface, unable to comprehend how anyone on Earth could enjoy life. Everybody might as well have been on TV.

During one of my dizzy, labored, four foot treks to our bathroom’s Hindustan Vitreous brand sink to loudly deposit the multicolored gooey contents of my clogged nasal passages, I thought, “These bodies are amazing.” You can’t predict what they’ll do. The amount of mucus I’ve snorted and spat over the past three days astounds me. “What is that stuff?” I wondered. I decided it was simply another item to add to the mountain of graphic evidence that I am not—in any way shape or form—the enjoyer, controller or creator of the universe (or even of mucus). Why mucus?

Then I remembered something I once heard from someone Smarter Than I:

A normal, healthy person is sat-chit-ananda, (or SCA). SCA (or “blissful, full of knowledge, and eternal”) is Business as Usual for people in the Greater Spiritual Reality (or GRS). Such persons think (honestly, without smirking or winking), “Krishna/Vishnu/God/Allah is the Supreme Enjoyer and Controller, and I’m OK with just being His servant.” “Blissful” implies no annoying, painful, and disorienting recurrences of acute nasopharyngitis. “Eternal” means no weepy funerals or total, utter severance of loving relationships. I’m not making this up.

If we’re not OK with GRS—for whatever fabulously brilliant reasons—then what? Krishna is kind. He’s not insecure or authoritarian. He’s accommodating. He generously provides a whole alternative “reality” for We Bright Ones Who Demand Something Different: an existence that is NOT blissful, NOT permanent, and NOT full of knowledge. Thus we get the pleasure of walking around in a Temporary Material Body (or TMB), and all the mucus it can possibly hold.

Vrindavan is recognized, by those in the know, as the place of Krishna’s early activities on Earth. Krishna is recognized, by those in the know, as the Absolute Truth, One Without a Second, the Supreme Being, a.k.a. God.

What a place to hide out. I mean, we generally think of the Supreme Person (if we think of Him at all) as majestic, big, shining, opulent, brilliant, and spectacularly clean. We might (if our imaginations ever worked themselves in this direction) imagine a place full of gems, blue skies, jeweled lanes, sparklingly clean waterways, impeccably maintained gardens, nicely dressed inhabitants, all kept in pristine condition 365, 24/7.

So what a manifestation of Krishna’s sense of humor (and perhaps modesty) to have as his hometown the kind of place I recently found myself in again, after a nineteen-year absence.

I remembered the smoky smell from cow dung fires, the sandy lanes, the intrepid bicycle rickshaws weaving their way through the narrow, dusty marketplaces. I remembered the monkeys hanging out on the ramparts of every building, looking for the prime opportunity of stealing something, anything, from the hands (or head) of the unwary visitor.

in the intervening time since my last visit, much has changed—on the level of purely mundane vision. Shops have sprung up across the street from the Krishna Balarama Mandir and Prabhupada’s Samadhi—the Vrindavan headquarters of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness—where there once were only trees and a couple of bamboo-framed tea stalls on a country road. Motor vehicles were everywhere, competing with loads of foot traffic, cow traffic, water buffalo traffic, and now tour bus traffic. There were no traffic lights or directions of any kind. it was everyone for himself, and inconceivable to my suburban upbringing, body parts and blood were not constantly flying every which way. The laws of nature were clearly different here.

As our taxi approached the village of Vrindavan, after an eye-popping, smoke-choked mad taxi ride from the Delhi airport—where we began to awaken from our American dream of tidy, smooth, wide highways—my wife asked our taxi driver to stop so we could get out and offer respects to this holy town. I had been intermittently napping and chanting, holding on to my beads for dear life while our driver, Gopal, oblivious to the shock I was feeling as he narrowly missed slamming into every size and shape of vehicle and living being traveling the Delhi-Mathura Road.

He pulled to an abrupt stop and announced “Vrindavan!.” not recognizing where I was, but nonetheless terrified enough and dazed from international travel, I hesitatingly opened my door and stepped out onto the dusty, broken street in front of a similarly dusty and broken tea and pan shop, offering fully prostrated obeisances.

“Dandavat! Dandavat!” Shouted the inhabitants of the shop, as I began to brush off the dirt and straw from my forehead and clothes (Translation: “Look, someone’s falling down in front of our shop just like a stick”).

My wife is from there and her family (devoted Madhva brahmanas) invited us
to stay with them, especially as it was the time for celebrating the
appearance of Raghavendra Swami, a major acarya in the Madhvacarya line,
considered to be an avatara of Prahlada Maharaja.

The main Deity of the temple near their house, in the outskirts of
Bangalore, is Srinivasa Govinda (the same form worshipped in Tirupati as
Balaji Venkateswara). Three days of festivities brought the community
together and gave me the chance to get a glimpse of their festive
celebrations -- including the Madhva tradition of dressing and decorating
the main Deity as various other forms of the Lord: I've got to see the
Krishna form (with the flute) and the Ramacandra one (with bow and arrows).

We also went to the ISKCON Jagannath Mandir for Balarama Jayanti.

I had been invited to give the talk and I had prepared an extended
PowerPoint slide shows with plenty of images of Lord Balarama, some quite
rarely seen. I plan to upload the presentation here once I make it smaller
in size (it would take age to upload it), so that others can use it.

It seems that the devotees appreciated the talk/show. I choose to maintain a
relaxed mood. Considering that people had been working all day and had been
negotiating metropolitan traffic to get to the temple, I chose to keep the
theology to a minimum -- just enough to frame the topic -- and focus instead
of simply showing them the form of the Lord, sprinkled with (mostly) light
comments.

By the way, Srila Prabhupada writes in Teachings of Lord Caitanya:

"The incarnations of Rama and Dhanvantari displayed His fame, and Balarama,
Mohiné and Vamana exhibited His beauty."

The experience reminded me that with a little preparation and a little
technology, almost anyone can offer an effective, engaging presentation,
even to a large and tired audience.

Hollywood star Pamela Anderson, who will enter a TV reality show this week, shot a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, urging to reject all leather products. "I love India and the reverence for animals held by most Indians. But yet one thing fills me with horror and that is the leather trade," she said.

We are in South America, Buenos Aires to be precise. Halifax monk, Dhruva and I made the flight to the land of tango, here to contribute to kirtan chanting for the annual Festival of Chariots as well as staging a drama, in Spanish, of course.

My dear friend, Gunagrahi Swami, introduced us to our cast's volunteers for the play "The Witness" the tale of a walking deity. This is an exceptional group, type caste to the tee. We toiled happily for some afternoon hours up to the point where my eager legs wanted to hit the streets for some exercise.

Since last year I've seen the graffiti culture increase in this colossal city of 16 million. Some of the work is sheer "art." Some of it I would describe as "art" with an "f" in front of it. Some of it is downright disrespectful cheap for-kicks displays when it comes to being the target of people's homes and business buildings which are the livelihood centres of people.

I remarked to Dhruva that the trashy spray, marks the beginning of the end of the culture of mutual respect. It's a sign of Kali-yuga indeed. I sometimes ponder that the liberal leniency as status quo just isn't working out in a world that boasts of order.

I don't mean to point out that Buenos Aires is exclusive or unique in this barrage of messy colour. It's all pervasive although you might not find it in a disciplined place like Singapore. I am airing out a kind of grumpiness that I feel is justified. I am, like millions of people on this planet, not alone in certain opinions. I hanker for change and search for hope.

I see no solution to problems but the spiritual outlet. As an individual I see the need to intensify my spiritual endeavour hoping to effect positive changes.

I look at a last wall before retiring for the night and with a doomsday spirit, admit that the world of sense gratification on its own just isn't fulfilling people's needs.

Drops of water hampered a wishful long walk this morning with my monk assistant, Dhruva, but drops of nectar in the form of instructive inspiration sprinkled on our courageous hearts as we read a passage from the Bhagavatam.

From Canto 6 we read of the humble position of Yamaraj, the High Court Judge of Death. He took the responsibility for the mis-judgement of his agents. His agents, known as Yamadutas, were taking up their tasks seriously by sentencing a chronic offender by the name of Ajamil. Apparently they had overlooked the fact that the man had taken to the mantra chanting of the name "Narayan". That sound vibration uttered by Ajamil at his dying moment spared him of an intense suffering due him.

The agents judged wrong before a final verdict was made. The circumstances were unusual. Yamaraj apologized for the mistake and asked to be pardoned.

Yamaraj is a high-placed person in the Vedic pantheon and is regarded as on of the twelve revered authorities in the science of devotion. Regardless of his high post he made the effort to be humble.

In our discussion over the passage our tiny group of 8 persons, or so, came to the realization that every day each and every one of us makes millions of mistakes, big or small. Rarely do we make apologies, and rarely do we say "I'm sorry" and if so in a heart-felt way. It seems right that we recognize errors (to err is human) and take some responsibilities for misbehaviours or wrong things said. It appears to be a good practice. Can it be considered that in some perceptive way when one utters "Hare Krishna" one expresses some guilt for past wrong doing? "I did some wrong. Can I make it up to You?"

Akrura Prabhu: Therefore all this requires the development of eminently personal relationships?

Matsyavatara Prabhu: Certainly. Every person must be considered as a single world. A charming, universal conscientious unique being, different from others, with whom we can establish a unique and special relationship. No one must be stuck in a scheme or labeled as a certain psychological type. By viewing an individual in a schematic vision we can significantly diminish the help that we can give him. I would like to stress that this help is not comparable to a psycho-therapeutic cure. It draws teachings and spiritual values that can produce harmony, equilibrium and long lasting wellbeing to every component of the personality and in every sphere of existence (psychological, social, professional, etc. )

The available instruments of Krishna-Bhakti are formidable and extraordinarily powerful, but we must learn how to use them at their best by understanding how to apply them to ourselves. To do this it is important that we are encouraged to go deeply inside ourselves, try to really understand our feelings, what is against and what is favorable to our evolutionary process, and how we can better express our spirituality and devotion to the Lord. As it is explained in the Ayurvedic science, each individual has a determined psychological-physical profile: pitta, kapha or vata, at the same time in transcendent psychology, on the spiritual level, each one of us has his own rasa or spiritual sentiment that connects him to God in a peculiar way. By rediscovering that rasa, we can participate in ananda, hladhini shakti and happiness which is intrinsic in our original Love nature. And by realizing this rasa every negative tendency and behavioral defects disappear naturally. Consequently, discouragement, suffering, sadness, fears and depression will dissolve. Therefore, helping people first of all means helping them to re-settle in their human nature by stimulating them to do what is more in accordance to their nature, from which they can draw authentic satisfaction and benefits.

Devotional service means encouraging a person to center himself in his own rasa. If we do not stimulate the devotee to engage himself in his guna and karma coordinates and in the vision to realize his peculiar relationship with the Divine, he will hardly be able to live his spiritual life in a joyous and evolutionary way.

Akrura Prabhu: Therefore we must engage people in accordance to their nature.

Matsyavatara Prabhu: Yes indeed. This could be a priority even in relation to the principle of practical utility because this is the only way that we can really offer a good spiritual cure.

Akrura Prabhu: I remember reading a letter from Shrila Prabhupada in reference to this where He underlined the importance of acting this way.

Matsyavatara Prabhu: Yes, it is fundamental to comprehend inclinations and spiritual aspirations of each individual by helping him first with recognizing them. We must interact with each person in a personalized way. We could not act the same with two individuals, not even with twins! Each person is characterized by his peculiar nature and we must enter the same wavelength. This also includes the development of a peculiar modality of relationship, a modality more in accordance with our interlocutor.

Akrura Prabhu: It is a great principle, an important lesson.

How can you comprehend people’s problems and help each individual with expressing and facing his uneasiness?

Matsyavatara Prabhu: By establishing a personal relationship, sharing experiences, doing things together, educating him on how to reflect and weigh up his life and make projects for his future. This would help people with connecting even more the dreamed reality with the one lived every day by increasing their desire to overcome their limitations and to evolve by developing a greater sense of responsibility. One of the main causes for suffering is the inability to realize ones most intimate aspirations, the discrepancy between who we are and who we would like to be, between how we live and how we would like to live.

Akrura Prabhu: When and how do you generally include the importance of undertaking ones responsibilities?

Matsyavatara Prabhu: I try to make the individual responsible right away. He who doesn’t have a sense of responsibility, cannot aspire to bring improvements in his life.

The chanting of Hare Krishna is not just done by the neophyte in the process of “just hear.” It is done by Srimati Radharani Herself in Her lila with Krishna. She is eternally fixed in hearing Krishna’s name. So the holy name is part of Krishna-lila.

People say everyone is equal. How you can say equal? Even in the bird society there is no equality, in the animal society there is no equality. Then how you can make equality? On the material platform it is not possible. You have to come to the spiritual platform; then equality is possible.